Greatest Comfort
by EudaimonArisornae
Summary: NOW COMPLETE. In a life constantly tinged with peril, Usopp and Nami rely on each other for solace. The brush of a hand, the squeeze of an arm, the press of skin against skin... Even in the face of unprecedented turmoil, the simple act of touch manages to give them enough strength to keep moving forward. (Usona)
1. Chapter 1

Title: Greatest Comfort

Rating: T (for the first two chapters; rating will be bumped after that)

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

Usopp was feeling a relapse of his old illness flaring up. Maybe it was his I-can't-enter-this-island disease, or perhaps it might have been his I'll-die-if-I-follow-you-into-this-jungle-itis, but whatever it was, he stopped dead in his tracks on the shore as most of his nakama ran ahead of him.

Grimly, he stared up at the thick nest of trees in front of him, the sweltering heat already making beads of sweat slide down the side of his face.

Just then, he felt two slender arms wrap around his shoulders. The soft skin, surprising dry and cool despite the humidity, was accompanied by the sensation of soft curls brushing his bare skin and the scent of tangerines.

The familiar, comforting touch did not make him want to flee any less, but at the very least, it offered him some comfort that someone else was slightly quavering, too. It was normal to be afraid of things, he reminded himself; the rest of his crew was clearly not right in the head.

"No way no way no way," Usopp chanted through chattering teeth, as the rest of the crew made their way into the shadows of the thickly canopied jungle with an appalling absence of hesitation.

"There are eyes," Nami started to say, the pitch of her voice fractionally higher than normal.

"Eyes?" Usopp asked nervously, turning around to look at her, her arms still slung over her shoulders.

"There are dozens of red eyes!" she repeated, leaning her weight onto his shoulders as she raised her body and pointed ahead. "Just look!"

He stopped dead in his tracks, squinting at the thick cluster of trees and vegetation the rest of the crew was already disappearing into. Then he noticed it, and he realized Nami was exactly right; there were dozens, no, maybe _hundreds_ of beady red eyes staring at them. A violent shiver ran up his spine. He reached around and grabbed Nami by the wrist, ready to start heading back in the direction of the Thousand Sunny.

"We just realized that someone else should probably go help Franky guard the Sunny, so you all go on without us," Usopp shouted, unable to hide the tremble in his voice.

"If anything happens, Franky should be more than enough to keep the Sunny safe," Sanji called back, already deep within the shadows of the thick tropical foliage, his face faintly illuminated by the burning embers at the end of his cigarette.

"It's probably better to have more people stay at the Sunny, though," Nami added. "We do have a lot of dangerous people after us these days."

"I'll keep you safe if anything happens to you, Nami-swan," Sanji swooned, starting to run back toward her.

"I was talking about the ship, not me!"

Suddenly Luffy's loud, unrestrained laugh rang out, as the limber captain ran past Sanji and energetically bounded up to them. "Come on, you guys, we already said we're going together!"

Drawn in by their captain's wide, charismatic grin and never-ending energy, Usopp and Nami reluctantly allowed him to urge them onward. They clung to each other as they were scared stupid again and again—even if maybe, they were not actually in any danger. Somehow, the reassuring touch always made it a little easier to face even the most treacherous situations.

* * *

Nami felt a familiar body press against her back, and she finally exhaled the breath she had not even realized she had been holding. The warmth of the muscular body, the softness of the powder-puff of hair pressing into her own curled tendrils; these recognizable features of the sniper consoled her, even when unhealthy levels of adrenaline were pumping through her veins.

"Oi, are you okay, Nami?" Usopp called out loudly, reaching around to his backpack to grab a handful of sketchy looking spheres to load into his kuro kabuto.

"Yeah, I've been mostly able to keep them at a distance. Enough so they haven't been able to hurt me, at least."

"Good," he replied grimly.

She glanced back at him, and noticed there was blood dripping down his right temple. "Usopp, your head!" she gasped, turning her body slightly so she could better face him. Removing one hand from her clima-tact, she reached up and pulled the brim of his hat up slightly, so she could get a better look at it.

After firing off something that expanded into a vicious-looking tangle of weeds, he looked at her and grinned widely, showing her he was alright. "It's not that bad, I just got knocked in the head."

"Well, let's finish this soon so we can get out of here," she said, returning his smile.

When they teamed up, the long-ranged fighters of the Mugiwara pirates were a force to be reckoned with. Soon, they were the only ones left standing. After laughing—more out of nervousness and relief at winning their fight with minor injuries or complications than out of actual humor—they locked arms and briskly rushed back to the ship.

Even though she was a veteran when it came to fighting, Nami still felt a little unsettled deep down inside whenever she was finished with a battle. Yet holding onto the warm skin of the long-nosed man's arm, slightly slick with sweat, made her feel like the tense knot of nerves in her stomach could at least fractionally unravel.

* * *

Usopp had accidentally fallen asleep in his workshop. As he groggily opened his eyes, the first thing he realized was that he had been sleeping with his face resting on the surface of the table, and there was a small pool of drool forming by the corner of his mouth. Then he became aware of a warm hand resting on his exposed shoulder, the soft skin pleasantly warm against his own cool body.

The long-nosed man did not need to look up to know who it was; there was only one hand that felt like that, and that touched him with such a comfortingly gentle familiarity. With a groan, he pulled himself into a sitting position, rubbing his mouth in embarrassment, trying to wipe away the traces of saliva.

The slender hand on his shoulder squeezed incrementally, and he heard a small laugh. He smiled slightly; it had a sort of pleasant ring to it that made him instantly feel better, even if he was vaguely ashamed about being caught in a puddle of drool and his body ached from sleeping at the table.

"I can't believe you slept down here all night," Nami said, shaking her head. He felt her hand slip away as she crossed her arms across her bare torso.

"Eh, what do you, 'all night'?" he asked in surprise, sitting up a little straighter. For some reason, once the hand was removed from his shoulder, the coldness of the room seemed that much more apparent. He hugged his arms around himself, trying to rub some warmth into his cold skin.

"There's no hidden meaning," she replied. "It's morning."

"Eh, that's awful," Usopp sighed heavily. "I feel terrible."

"I'm not surprised. Your neck was twisted at a pretty weird angle."

He rubbed the back of his neck, wincing as his hand met a sore, knotted muscle. "Yeah, I can tell."

"It's still early though. I don't think Sanji started breakfast yet, so you could probably go back upstairs and sleep for a little bit."

With a nod, Usopp slid his chair back and rose to his feet. "Yeah, I think I'll do that," he said tiredly.

"And warm up a little bit!" she exclaimed, reaching out and placing her hand across his the left side of his chest, almost directly over his heart. Once again, the comforting heat of her touch seemed to penetrate the depths of his chilled skin.

"Ah, I will," he said, rubbing his eyes again as he wearily headed toward the door. He paused for a moment at the entrance of the workshop, and turned to look at her. "Ah, by the way, did you need something from in here?"

Nami shook her head. "No, Sanji just mentioned that you might have already been up." The corner of her mouth turned up wryly. "I knew that probably wasn't the case."

"You know me too well," he chuckled softly, a faint smile on his lips.

As he walked up to the men's quarters, the air grew even chillier, and he hugged his arms around him again to stave off the cold. For some reason, the only part of his chest that felt slightly warm was the area right above his heart, where the navigator's hand had pressed just moments before.

Usopp frowned slightly, placing his hand over the same spot on his chest. It was just the same comforting, friendly touch that they always shared. Really, it had become so natural over time, he was not even vaguely surprised when he felt Nami suddenly press up against him. Likewise, she never seemed even remotely bothered when he suddenly latched onto her out of fear or excitement, or unexpectedly leaned against her.

It was a comfortable place, and it had been his most soothing place for some time now.

For that reason, Usopp could not really comprehend the reason the warmth seemed so penetrating at that moment... or why his heart inexplicably pounded a little bit harder that normal.

* * *

Nami feigned disinterest, but she was actually studying Usopp quite carefully, as she intermittently sipped from a steaming cup of coffee.

All day, their nakama had been in and out of his workshop, and not once had Usopp given them an honest smile. If the rest of the crew noticed, they certainly did not comment.

However, Nami suspected they had not noticed anything off about his behavior. After all, in addition to the wild, adventurous fantasies he liked to spout off, he was also capable of telling frighteningly believable lies.

Like about how he was okay.

The rest of the crew had not actually seen what had happened. And although Nami had witnessed it, she had been too far away to do anything in time. Neither of them had spoken to the crew about the exact details, but then, there was probably nothing to say. They had all been involved in their own fights, and sometimes, tragedies happen in the midst of battle.

Finally, the night grew late, and the pair found themselves alone. For awhile, the conversation ceased, and they sat in silence, with only the sound of the _tink tink tink_ of Usopp steadily hammering away at his latest invention echoing across the workshop.

Abruptly, the sound stopped, and a moment later, the mallet noisily clattered to the floor. Usopp sucked in a large gasp of air, pushing his chair back and leaning over, clutching the sides of his head with his hands.

Nami pursed her lips as she wordlessly set down her cup of tea. She had been bracing herself for this moment; even if he could hide it from the rest of their nakama, there was no way he could hide the storm brewing inside of him from her.

The navigator rose to her feet, first making her way to the workshop's door. After turning the lock, she turned around to face Usopp, her lips pressed together tightly as she studied his faintly trembling body.

"Nami," he murmured quietly.

With a flicker of sympathy in her large brown eyes, she grabbed a chair and set it down next to Usopp's, sitting down directly next to him, closely enough so that the sides of their legs and arms were touching. The redhead already knew there was not much she could do or say to make him feel better.

He did not speak or acknowledge her presence, but she did not expect him to; he was preoccupied with his own inner demons.

Nami simply hoped that even if he seemed oblivious to her nearness, the closeness would offer the slightest semblance of comfort, just as it would for her. Sometimes, just having someone close to touch was more therapeutic than any trite words. The long-nosed man had done the same thing for her, time and time again, when she was troubled by things she did not wish to speak about.

She leaned slightly closer, letting her head drape over his muscular shoulder; the round, well-toned shoulder that had once been so bony, it had been uncomfortable for her to rest her head on it.

Another violent shudder passed through Usopp's body, and Nami sat upright again, setting one hand on the shoulder where her head had just been leaning.

Then the long-nosed man took in a loud, clamorous breath, before he started to hesitantly speak. "I keep... replaying it in my mind. Again and again. All the things I should have done differently."

Nami squeezed his shoulder lightly. "There was nothing you could have done differently, Usopp," she said quietly. "It's painful no matter what, but blaming yourself isn't going to help anything."

"How can I _not_ blame myself, Nami? If I hadn't been there, that kid wouldn't have..." he trailed off.

Nami understood the words were too difficult; she shifted her arm, wrapping it around his shoulders, pulling him closer as she gave him an understanding squeeze.

After all, it replayed in her head again and again as well. The image of the young boy, no older than seven or eight, wearing large goggles, with a slingshot clutched tightly in his small hands.

* * *

_Their enemies were pirates. Usopp was preoccupied with taking down five or six of them that were running toward him, lances, axes and rapiers at the ready. So preoccupied, he did not even notice the pirate with a tangled flaxen beard who was sneaking up behind him, carrying an impossible load of heavy artillery._

_Usopp's back still turned, the flaxen-bearded pirate raised one of his many weapons, taking aim at the oblivious sniper. _

_Nami saw what was happening, but she was too far away. She screamed Usopp's name, raising her clima-tact to the sky as she started to run toward him at full speed; but there was no way he could hear her, no way the attack would reach in time._

_Just then, a young boy bolted out from some nearby bushes, and leaped in front of Usopp's back. The little boy raised a rickety-looking slingshot, took a poor aim, and fired something that was probably as harmless as a rock at Usopp's attacker._

_The bearded pirate, unfazed by the futile attack, still fired, even though a young boy who was not even his target had jumped in the way. As the wave of shrapnel passed through the tiny, frail body, a few stray pieces hitting Usopp as well, the little boy crumbled to the ground._

_Nami felt her heart sink into her stomach as the child fell. Her attack now ready, she screamed the words "Thunderbolt Tempo!" at the top of her lungs as she attacked the flaxen-bearded pirate, putting every ounce of power she could behind the attack. _

_Meanwhile, Usopp had turned around just as the shots were fired. An indescribable look of horror crossed his face. Looked at the pirate whose body was now being racked by innumerable volts of electricity, Usopp fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around the tiny, bloody body at his feet. His eyes bulged in horror as he took in the injuries._

_Usopp snatched him up and frantically started running toward the town, and Nami took off after him. He was probably first running to find Chopper, but before they got anywhere near the rest of their nakama, Nami saw a sign on a nearby building that caught her attention._

"_Wait, Usopp!" she cried out. _

_He hesitantly stopped and turned to look at her, a look of panic mixed with horror on his face. _

_She pointed at the sign on the building. "It's a doctor! Bring him here!"_

_Usopp's eyes widened, and he quickly turned on his heel and ran toward the double-doors._

_Nami felt the breath get stuck in her throat as she saw that the front of the sniper's body was completely covered in blood. Squeezing her eyes closed tightly for a moment, she wondered how much blood there actually was in a child's body. Then she banished the horrifying thought to the back of her mind; she had to focus on the present. Hurriedly, she raced in after Usopp._

* * *

Unintentionally, Nami shuddered. The blood and the carnage... it was too much for her, and it was certainly too much for Usopp. And this time, it had been a fucking kid.

"You want to know what he said when he ran up beside me?" Usopp asked grimly, his voice full of emotion and gravel.

Nami glanced over at him, looking at his face carefully. His eyes were open wide, his gaze fixed on the floor in front of him.

"He shouted '_stay away from Sogeking!_'"

The red-haired woman bit down on her lower lip, her chest tightening.

"How the hell did he know who I was?" Usopp continued, his voice hinged with despair. "It can't be that stupid wanted poster, where I have a fucking mask on."

Nami's eyes wandered to the kuro kabuto propped up in the corner.

"I thought about that, too," the sniper continued. "But how could he know about Sogeking's kabuto?"

She shook her head from side to side. "I don't know how he put it together. Almost no one's made that association."

"Exactly," Usopp sighed, rubbing his temple. "Which means that for some reason, he knew enough about us to figure out it had to be me."

Nami nodded slowly; she had drawn the same conclusion. The accounts of the events of Sogeking's appearance at Enies Lobby were slight, but there was probably a lot of information about their crew now, from all of their subsequent battles. And they only had one sniper... Only one distance-fighter who used a weapon close to the one that was described as belonging to Sogeking.

"I noticed he had a slingshot," Nami said quietly.

"Ah, me too," Usopp said, closing his eyes. "Do you think he was a... a... a fan?"

Nami exhaled slowly. "I don't know, Usopp."

"Dammit, Nami, what if..." he started, his voice cracking faintly. "...What if I was like his hero or something? Nami, what if I was his hero and I almost killed him?"

"You don't know that, Usopp," she replied quickly.

"I can't help but think like that."

She held her arm around him for a moment longer. And then suddenly, she sat back, clenched her hand into a small fist, and rapped him on the back of the head.

Usopp flinched, yelping in pain, before he sat upright and stared at her in bewilderment. "What was that for?" he asked incredulously.

"We're going to be around here for at least a couple more days," she said. "When he wakes up, you can ask him yourself."

The long-nosed man's expression hardened. "Yeah, but what if he doesn't wake—"

She rapped him on the back of the head again. "I don't want to hear any of your negative shit right now, Usopp. He _will_ wake up. And when he does, if he tells you you're like a hero to him, you better do something hero-like so he'll have a good memory to go with all of this."

Although it was faint, Nami was relieved to see that Usopp's smile was, at the very least, a genuine one. She settled back down next to him, with their arms pressed against each other for awhile. The heat of his body was a warmth that could alleviate even the most frigid chill.

When Usopp set his hand on top of hers, she did not think too much of it. However, she did observe that the sniper still seemed to be vaguely trembling... and that for some inexplicable reason, her heart was pounding just a bit too rapidly in her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

One week later, the Mugiwara pirates were back at sea.

Every single day while they had been on the island, Usopp had visited the little boy. When he woke up after two days of unconsciousness, Usopp was overcome with relief; both the boy's doctor and Chopper agreed that he was through the worst of it, and that his life was no longer in danger.

For the remainder of the week, Usopp spent most of his time by the young boy's side, telling him stories of his adventures and revealing the trade secrets of a world-class sniper. Some of his nakama had accompanied him each day, so that by the end of the week, the boy had been able to meet every member of the Mugiwara pirates. And today, on their last morning on the island, Nami and Chopper were his companions for his farewell visit.

Usopp had stayed up late the night before, preparing a parting gift—a smaller sized version of his original kabuto. His heart swelled as the boy received it with stars in his eyes. He knew, right there, that it would be an item the child would treasure for all his lifetime.

The time to leave came all too soon, and Usopp promised they would see each other again someday, somehow—after all, the boy had expressed his desire to set out to the sea and become a pirate as well.

"If that's the case, we'll be bound to run into each other!" Usopp said with a grin, leaning forward and gently bumping his fist against the little boy's hand—since he was not quite able to raise his arm himself, just yet.

After the final farewells were exchanged and they were walking back to the ship, a storm of emotions raged through Usopp's chest. For some reason, his throat felt tight; he regretted that he couldn't do more, couldn't stay any longer. The miniature kabuto and fond memories were hardly enough to make up for the injuries the boy could likely spend weeks and weeks recovering from, and the scars his tiny body would have for all of his lifetime.

The sniper was ripped away from his uneasy thoughts when a slender hand suddenly reached up and touched his shoulder, its gentle warmth instantly making him feel the apprehensiveness within him melt away. He reached up and patted the top of Nami's hand, turning toward her and smiling reassuringly.

She smiled back widely, her expression mixed with happiness and relief, the bright sun making her features seem to sparkle even more brilliantly than usual. For the remainder of their walk, he felt like the weight in his chest has been at least marginally lifted.

Usopp's calm lasted until they got back to the ship. Each day, Chopper had been quick to tell Usopp all about the boy's progress. Yet today, he remained silent for most of the walk back. It was not until the three of them rejoined the rest of the crew inside of the galley that it struck Usopp as a bit peculiar.

"Oi, Chopper," Usopp called out suddenly. He could not help but notice the slight jolt that ran through the reindeer's body, before he turned around to face him. They stared each other down for a moment, and even without the words, Usopp's heart was already starting to sink into his stomach.

"Today, you were examining him for awhile..." Usopp asked slowly, referring to the lengthy amount of time Chopper and the boy's doctor had spent testing him before they permitted Usopp and Nami to enter the room. "What happened?"

The fur on Chopper's brow stood on edge it deeply furrowed. "Ah... About that."

Usopp was not sure if it had been the tinge of desperation in his own voice, or the strained hesitation in Chopper's, but something had captured the attention of the rest of their nakama. Suddenly and abruptly, all other conversations in the galley ceased, and Usopp felt eyes upon him.

"It's really hard to tell this early, how bad some of the damage is going to be. But after our examination this morning, we agreed..." The young doctor paused for a moment, fidgeting as his gaze fell down to the ground, a faint tremor in his childish voice. "We agreed that some of it isn't... reparable."

Usopp opened his mouth and struggled to speak, but his voice failed him. As a short, strained syllable incoherently burst out of his throat, Nami rescued him, somehow immediately knowing what questions the sniper wanted to ask. "What do you mean by 'not reparable,' Chopper?" From the tension in her voice, Usopp could tell she was nearly as shaken as he was; but still, she spoke for him.

The young doctor swallowed with difficulty "His wounds have been treated, and he's healing properly, but there's some damage that even a doctor can't fix."

"And what is that, Chopper?" Nami asked falteringly.

The reindeer's chin sank deeper into his chest, as though he wished could avert his gaze so far away, he may never have to look her in the eyes again. "It means he probably won't ever walk again."

As Usopp listened to Chopper's devastating statement, pronounced with difficulty, whatever momentary semblance of peace he had been experiencing crumbled in an instant. He felt the blood drain from his face as he struggled to keep his knees from buckling underneath him.

The rest of the crew began to chime in with questions, and Chopper did his best to respond to them. But to Usopp, it all sounded like static in his ears. He couldn't think straight, couldn't stand up straight, couldn't even breath. Gradually, he started to slink toward the back of the galley, nearly stumbling and falling backward, until he finally found himself near the doorway. Just as he soundlessly opened it and slipped outside, he glanced behind him. For the briefest moment, he met Nami's disconcerted gaze, brimming with worry, before he clicked the door closed again.

* * *

Two days later, Usopp was sitting near the side rails of the ship, staring listlessly at the ocean, an abandoned sketchbook lying face open next to him. As Nami approached him, she gnawed on her lower lip as she noticed the page was completely blank.

She had never seen the sniper like this before—seemingly lifeless, unmotivated to do anything. Usually Usopp was vibrant, overflowing with creativity. He was always eager to interact with the crew, tinker in his workshop or embark on some kind of artistic endeavor. Nami exhaled slowly, letting the telltale signs of her concern disappear from her expression as she released her breath.

"Usopp," she said quietly, stepping up next to him and leaning on the rail, staring out at the same ocean he was watching with disinterest.

In her peripheral vision, she saw him nod faintly as he grunted a quiet greeting.

"I didn't see you at lunch today. Have you eaten yet?" she asked casually. Usopp had been the first person at breakfast that morning—including the first person to leave—but he had not joined them for their next meal. "Sanji put aside a plate for you."

"Ah, just a little while ago," he nodded, the corners of his lips tightening in what was likely a poor attempt at a smile. "I was lucky I got to it before Luffy found it."

She momentarily frowned at the mirthless attempt at a jest. Seeing him this way left her feeling like her stomach was twisting.

Most of their exchanges had been like this for the past two days, though. She felt frustrated with herself, being so helpless to control the situation. Nami had been unable to make him open up to her, the way he always had. The way they always had to each other.

Pushing herself back from the rail, she sat down next to him and set her hand on top of his arm, absentmindedly stroking the material of his signature wristband.

"You're making us all worry about you, Usopp," the navigator said bluntly.

"There's no reason for anyone to waste their time with such a thing," he replied grimly.

"You're making _me_ worry," she added, her voice softening so faintly, she was certain that anyone but Usopp would not have detected it in her voice. "A lot." She pursed her lips at she looked over at him.

He flinched slightly, squeezing his eyes closed. "Sorry," he smiled faintly. "I just... I don't know what to do with myself right now."

Nami furrowed her brow. "I don't know either, Usopp. But when I look at you right now, I..."

She trailed off as the sound of laughter rang out from somewhere nearby. Nami bit her lip, realizing that speaking to Usopp about the root of his grief was too difficult even without interruptions. Right now, she needed to be alone with him. Decisively, she bent down and grabbed his wrist, her hand tightly clenched around his wristband. "Come with me," she said, yanking him to his feet.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but to her relief, he did not refuse her; even this foreign, dejected Usopp still had at least a trace of his normal self. Grabbing his sketchbook and shoving it inside of his bag with his free hand, he rose to his feet, unsurprised that the navigator would not release her grip on him.

When they reached the girls' quarters, Usopp raised an eyebrow as Nami finally let go of his wrist and closed the door behind them.

"Oi, Nami... Why here, exactly?"

Nami frowned slightly, tucking a strand of vibrant orange hair behind her ear; it was mostly because it was the place where they were least likely to be disrupted by anyone else in the crew. After all, even Usopp's workshop was prone to having frequent visitors. But in here, even if Robin tried to come in, Nami trusted she would read the mood and let them continue their conversation alone.

And then, she realized there was no reason to hide the reason. "Because it's probably the most private place to be," she finally replied.

"Ah, alright," he murmured, glancing around the room. "You know, I haven't actually been in here very many times before."

"Hmm, I guess there isn't much reason you would have been. I haven't been to the guys' room very many times, either," she commented, gesturing toward the table and chairs in the middle of the room. Usopp quickly took a seat.

"Yeah, that's probably a good thing. I don't really... recommend coming down there, to be honest."

"Oh? Is there something awful down there or something?" Nami called over her shoulder, as she walked to a far corner of the room, leaning down to pull something out of a cabinet.

"Well, nothing in particular that I can think of," Usopp said thoughtfully, gazing upward. "But it _is_ a room shared by seven guys. That should be reason enough, I'd think."

Nami couldn't help but crack a smile, as she headed toward the table with a bottle and two glasses in hand. This conversation felt more natural, more like the Usopp she was familiar with. "Come on, let's drink," she said cheerfully, setting a glass down in front with him with a _clink_.

"It's still only the afternoon," Usopp mentioned. "Wait, why do you have that in here, anyway?"

"Hmm, why wouldn't I? There's no reason all the alcohol on the ship needs to be kept in the galley," she said matter-of-factly, taking a seat.

Usopp scratched his head as she opened the bottle and poured two glasses. "Ah, I guess you don't need to worry about Zoro finding it in your room, so there's no reason to lock it up."

"Who says we don't lock it up?" she asked, winking as she took her first sip.

Usopp cracked another smile—still not enough to penetrate the somberness of his eyes—and followed suit, making a face as the burning liquor slid down his throat.

"So what were you about to say to me?" he asked.

"About what?"

"You started to say something about seeing me like this."

Nami took a long sip of her drink. "Ah, that," she murmured quietly.

Then she told him about how difficult it was for her to see him this way. They spoke at great length about all the horrors and the guilt and the despondency tearing through Usopp's consciousness. They talked about his misery, of her concern and sympathy... Eventually, the conversation segued into all of their worries and their fears. Even if the words were hard to find, and even more difficult to speak aloud, they managed to choke them out. The entire time, Nami gripped his hand, and sometimes, he returned the grip with double the strength.

Nami started to pour him what would have been his fourth or fifth drink, but he shook his head, stopping her. "No more, my head's already swimming."

She nodded, setting the bottle back down. As she observed his eyes, bloodshot from all of the brimming tears he had not actually shed, she wondered if their conversation had only served to make him feel worse. As she pondered it, she felt a tinge of sadness, and she realized that the meager gesture of touching his hand was insufficient. There was comfort in his touch to her, and she wanted him to be comforted as well; a thought that had drifted through her head with increasing frequency lately. Nami needed to be physically closer to him—and, she told herself, it was probably only for this reason.

Sliding her chair up next to him, she gently rested her hand on his back, connecting with the exposed skin between his suspenders. In a slow, soothing gesture, she glided her fingers up and down the length of his back.

He exhaled shakily, turning his body until he was sitting crookedly in his chair, so he could face her properly. She drew back her hand, setting it in her lap as Usopp reached out and brushed a stray orange curl away from her face, sweeping it behind her shoulder. Then he leaned forward and rested his forehead against the space he had just cleared.

"I didn't really want to talk to anyone about this, but now that we did..." he said hesitantly. "I don't know if I can even say I feel better, but I feel a little less like shit."

Nami smiled sadly, sighing as she bowed her head down, her chin resting on top on his head. His hair, slightly coarse and frizzy, rubbed against the bottom of her jaw. Nami couldn't help but sigh slightly at the touch of it; the texture of Usopp's hair was something distinct to him only, so she secretly liked the feeling of it against her skin.

"I don't think there's a way to feel better right now, Usopp. It's just like when somebody you love dies—" her voiced trembled slightly, and she paused to swallow. "Nothing ever makes it better. Time just makes it easier to act like you've gotten over it, I guess."

She knew there was not much more to say; Usopp was as familiar with that pain as she was, and for a moment, they sat together in silence.

Then Usopp sat upright, removing his head from her shoulder, and reached out toward her neck, resting his fingertips near the nape. She noticed his hand was trembling slightly.

The fingers tightened their grip, and Nami felt her body being tugged forward slightly as Usopp pulled her into a slightly awkward embrace. He wrapped his arms around her torso, placing his calloused hands near the small of her back, and she leaned in closer, hugging him against her as well.

She couldn't help but fixate on the sensation of his strong hands, stroking the slightly sensitive skin on her back. The way his fingertips seemed to unconsciously trace the line of her back, gradually creeping up toward her shoulders.

Although _touch_ was normal—after all, she and her nakama were always hanging off of one another—for some reason, no hands felt as familiar or welcome as Usopp's against her skin. Even after they had been separated for two years, as soon as they had touched each other again, his skin against hers felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was as if a piece of her had been missing right up until that moment she felt it.

Even now, as he touched her, she felt like the impressions of his fingertips touching her skin were being imprinted on her very soul; a precious treasure she could never forget, or be without, because it was a part of her.

Nami's eyes snapped open suddenly as she realized her heart was beginning to pound.

The redhead tried to focus back on Usopp again, and she realized that maybe it wasn't just her avid imagination that caused it. The reassuring brushes against her back, for some reason, felt a bit more focused now. The way his hands, his strong, yet unspeakably gentle hands, caressed her skin in a way that felt almost... intimate.

And then one of the hands slipped off of her back, as Usopp pulled his head back slightly and pressed tremulous fingers against her cheek. For a moment, Nami forgot to breathe.

He still faced her, his knees pressed into her thigh. Her body was twisted toward him. With hesitation, he tilted his head slightly to the side and leaned in incrementally, until she could feel the heat of his breath.

They locked eyes. The sniper wore a haunted expression, like a piece of him had broken away, lost forever beneath the shadows of his guilt and the agony of his regret. Seeing Usopp look like that made her own throat actually felt inexplicably tight. She wanted desperately to see it fade away, to bring her usual Usopp back to the surface; to restore what had been lost.

But before he could close the gap, the sniper's quavering fingers slipped away from her cheek as he let his hand fall gracelessly into his lap. He averted his gaze and started to pull away.

"No," Nami cried out, her voice even surprising her. She had not intended to speak, but it was reflexive, and at the same moment she raised a hand and tentatively placed it on Usopp's cheek. She couldn't let him draw back now—she _needed_ him to feel better. (And maybe, on some level, she needed him to make her feel better, as well.)

She practically felt the breath hitch in his throat. His brow tilted in a way that made him somehow look even sadder than he had a moment ago. Yet as he raised his hand again, brushing it against her cheek one more time, she noted that his hand wasn't nearly as tremulous.

He slid it slowly across her cheek, his fingertips tracing her cheekbone and making their way to behind her ear, where he let his fingers run through her silky orange tendrils. Then he tucked the strands he had pulled loose behind her ear, and leaned toward her again.

Large, surprisingly smooth lips met hers with apparent hesitation. Instead of inspiring feelings of love and romance, the kiss was brimming with desperation, intermingled with a hint of sadness, as he pulled her close to him.

Nami likened it to an extension of most of the other touching that occurred between them. Near him was the safest place; it filled her with a sense of peace and familiarity, even when she felt like she had a tempest inside of her. The kiss conjured images of all of the times she and Usopp had clung to each other, searching for a moment of solace in whatever terrifying situation they found themselves in... Often while the rest of their nakama were overcome with excitement instead of terror.

Still locked in the kiss, Usopp's large hand made its way to the nape of her neck again, and he allowed himself to entangle his fingers in her hair a second time. Nami inhaled sharply; for some reason, the simple gesture sent a shiver down her spine, as the touch made her skin tingle abnormally. Once again, her heart began to thump a bit more rapidly in her chest.

They pulled their lips apart, and Nami opened her eyes, instantly meeting Usopp's slightly fearful gaze.

"Usopp...?" she murmured, her eyes widening.

The gaze only lasted a moment, however. A slightly pained expression flickered across Usopp's face, followed by a look of uncertainly mingled with desperation. But then the expression slipped away, and with resolve, he leaned forward again and brought their lips together a second time. This time, he kissed her with far more urgency.

It was beyond the mere pressure of lips; this was something greedy and determined, overflowing with need. Usopp made a sound that was something like a muffled groan as he leaned forward, parting his lips. His tongue brushed her lips, and although at first, it crept forward cautiously, after a moment it drew forward with more bravery and purpose.

Then, Nami felt something that reminded her of a spark, like a flicker of electricity on her lips. This kiss made something begin to stir within her; something more demanding and overpowering than the usual comforting warmth she felt from Usopp's affection.

With the next brush of his tongue against hers, he also lightly touched the roof of her mouth. The sensation made her instinctively respond by kissing him back more passionately. Letting out a soft, barely audible whimper, she wrapped her arms around his neck, locking her arms behind his neck, unconsciously leaning even more closely into him.

His body against her was nothing new, though. Many times, she had pressed herself against him, and felt that muscular body against her own bared flesh. In times of joy or turmoil, Usopp was always there, always within arm's length.

When they finally broke the kiss, she was surprised to notice that her cheeks felt warm and that Usopp was panting heavily. There was a troubled crease in his brow as he stared at her, hesitantly pulling his hands away from her body.

She reached out for one of his withdrawn hands, holding it between her palms, staring downward apprehensively.

"You know, it's strange," Nami murmured, smiling faintly.

The crease in his brow furrowed more noticeably. "What's strange?"

"I feel very calm right now... Even though I have this feeling that I shouldn't be."

Usopp inhaled sharply, and she felt the jerk of his hand as he briefly started to yank it away. Instinctively, she tightened her own double-handed grip, not wanting him to break their connection.

With resignation, he stopped trying to resist. "I'm relieved you're not panicked, because my mind is kind of reeling," he said slowly, as he squeezed his eyes closed. "But Nami, I don't know what to do right now."

"There's nothing you can do but give yourself time, Usopp."

His eyes snapped open again, hesitantly flickering up to meet her stare. "I don't mean about what happened with that..." he explained evasively. "I mean about right now, and how much I want to be near you. It's just... being close to you makes me feel like... Dammit, Nami, it's the closest to normal I've felt in days."

With anyone else, maybe she would have more carefully chosen her reply, but this was Usopp. For her, being near the sniper was as natural as breathing, and even if they were to be closer than they had ever been...

The faintest hint of a smile crossed her lips, as she realized she was willing to accept that.

"If you want to be near me, be near me," Nami said simply.

His eyes widened briefly, and for a moment, she felt like he was looking at her like she was some kind of mythical being, capturing his attention more intensively than any of Franky's wild inventions.

"Nami," he said, pronouncing her name as a smile formed on his lips. When he leaned forward and kissed her a third time, it was honest and earnest, like the last of his inhibitions had been stripped away.

Then there were no more words spoken between then, as Nami found herself being held by a pair of strong arms that had never seemed so masculine before. Their lips locked and he gently pulled her closer, lifting her body out of the chair, guiding her to his lap, where she could be even closer to him.

The intimate position made her heart pound, but the nearness of his body felt so _right _that she found herself easily nestling against him. She could not quite wrap her head around how it was possible that her body seemed to perfectly fill in the spaces in between them as she straddled his lap, but nevertheless, it was undeniably the sensation that she had.

Usopp ran his hands up and down her back, purposefully caressing the bare skin, his fingertips occasionally sliding beneath the string of her bikini shirt. She let out another quiet moan of approval, as the sensual touch sent a pleasant shiver up her spine. It also didn't make sense that those hands made her body react this way, but then, there were a lot of things about the way things were between her and Usopp that didn't make sense. Still, even if they weren't logical, what they shared was irrefutable.

She was not exactly sure how long they were like that, their mouths inseparable, both trying to touch as much of each other as they possibly could. When they finally stripped their bodies away from each other, they were both panting heavily, and Nami wondered if anyone had ever made her heart pound so rapidly before.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Weeks went by, and Nami found herself in a familiar situation, only the roles were reversed. This time, it was Usopp who had grabbed her by the wrist, and with a clenched jaw and determined expression, dragged her away. And this time, they were inside of a sizable manor belonging to one of the townsfolk they had just rescued.

"Usopp, what's going on?" she asked as he tugged her along, his grip somehow unyielding and yet gentle on her slender wrist. She could tell he was leading her to one of the rooms their host had insisted they stay in for the night, but he had not said a word before he snatched her away.

The sniper turned to look back at her, opening his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She noticed a faint tremble in his lower lip.

Then they were inside of one of the private rooms, decorated with lavish bedroom furnishings and an ornate canopy bed. Usopp quickly closed the door behind him, fastening the inside lock.

"What's going on, Usopp?" she asked again, a crease forming in her brow. The uneasy look on his face alarmed her; usually she could read him like a book, but tonight she had no idea why he was looking at her with eyes brimming with anguish.

The expression on his face grew graver still. Usopp opened his mouth to speak again, but when the words did not form, he suddenly leaned over and kissed her.

Although it felt like he brought their lips crashing together with violent force, when their lips actually met, it was soft and tender, radiating with care and emotion. He wrapped his arms around her firmly, strongly encompassing her body, drawing her near and holding her in a way that made her wonder if he was ever going to let her go.

He deepened the kiss, and the sadness mingled with relief was so profound, Nami was sure she could almost taste it.

After some time, the sniper began to pull back incrementally, until their lips were just barely touching. He still kept his arms securely nestled around her waist, gentle but unyielding.

"You idiot," he murmured, closing his eyes, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "Don't ever do something like that again, Nami."

Her eyes widened. "Come on, Usopp, is that what this is about?" she laughed lightly.

"Of course it's what this is about. You know, for a second there, I thought... I thought... Well, that I might lose you, you know?" he barely managed to say, his voice cracking as he enunciated the last few words.

"Don't make such a big deal out of it, Usopp. I knew it was going to turn out alright," she insisted, averting her gaze to the ground as she shrugged nonchalantly. "There's no way any of you would have let me really die."

"Nami," Usopp choked, pulling her as close to him as he possibly could, resting his head on her shoulder, shifting one arm until his palm cupped the back of her head. "Don't you get it, idiot? In that situation... I couldn't have done anything in time. No matter what I would have tried, no matter how much I wanted to, I would've been totally powerless. If it hadn't been for Luffy and Zoro..." he bit down on his lower lip, squeezing his eyes closed. "I can't even say what would've happened if they hadn't been there, Nami."

"It turned out alright, Usopp," she reassured. "There's not even anything to be upset about."

However, the truth was, the navigator had been terrified; no matter how much she trusted her crew, sometimes there were actions that were simply impossible. No matter how much determination they had, no matter how strong they became...

But she had weighed the risks, assessed that her intervention would be the best way to give them all the chance of victory, and it had all turned out alright. Even if she still felt a little weak in the knees, it was alright.

As Usopp continued holding her, she tried her best to mask all of the signs that she actually had been affected. After all, she had done an excellent job at hiding the quaver in her voice and the trembling in her hands. There was no reason that she had to let him know just how petrified she had been. He would only worry if he knew that it was taking everything to keep from shuddering in fear every time she thought about it.

"You don't need to pretend in front of me, Nami," Usopp murmured quietly, his voice right next to her ear.

"What are you talking about?"

His grip around her tightened slightly. "I saw the look on your face then... And I can see it in your eyes right now, too." He tenderly brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. "You can deny it if you want, but even if everybody else believes you, I know you're lying."

Despite all of her efforts over the course of the evening, as she tried to stay strong while everybody else enjoyed the victory party, she felt the wall around her gradually start to crumble. However, before the tears began to flow, Usopp kissed her again, reaching down and grabbing one of her hands, carefully interlacing their fingers.

The kiss started off as being simply a means of reassurance; an unspoken connection between each other, letting them know that they were both okay. But gradually, the kiss began to intensify, and Nami felt all of the earlier trepidation of the day start to fade away as a more urgent need began to sift to the surface.

He was pressing her back against the closed door now, and she could feel the cool wood against her bare skin. Letting go of her hand, Usopp let his hand shift to her exposed abdomen, his hand gradually sliding upward, the pressure lessening slightly as it ran over the curvature of her breasts. Nami let out a small gasp of surprise; it wasn't that it was unpleasant, it was just new and a little unexpected.

"I'm sorry," he apologized immediately, quickly starting to pull away, but she reached up and wrapped her hand around his wrist, stopping him.

The sniper's eyes widened in surprise. "Nami...?"

She squeezed her hand around his wrist a little tighter. "Since when do you apologize for touching me, idiot," she muttered.

"But you know that wasn't... I mean, the way I touched you..." He scratched his head, shifting his gaze to the floor with apprehension. "What I mean to say is, it's not like our usual... I mean, I'm only a man, Nami," he finally said, heaving a sigh of exasperation as he rubbed his temple with frustration. "And I'm pretty awful with things like this."

This time, Nami initiated the kiss. She firmly pressed her lips against his, opening her mouth slightly as she slipped her tongue inside of his mouth, eagerly meeting his slightly hesitant tongue. As the kiss deepened, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders once again, squeezing him against her as tightly as she could.

Even when she pulled away from the kiss for a moment, tilting her head to press her forehead against his, she still refused to loosen the firm embrace.

Then Nami came to an important realization; she didn't _want_ him to stop touching her. If anything, this degree of closeness was not enough. The more she felt of him against her, the better she felt inside, as though his skin had the ability to cure all of her inner restlessness.

"I w-want... I want to feel more of you, Usopp," she said quietly, her cheeks feeling slightly warm as she spoke the words aloud.

Usopp's eyes widened as he stared at her speechlessly, his mouth hanging open. But as they stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, the shock of his expression gradually began to lessen, replaced by something desirous and longing.

* * *

Usopp was certain he had never felt his heart pound so fiercely in his entire life. Even when he had nearly been shot, trampled or burned alive, it was hardly enough to compare to the feeling of laying on top of Nami, one leg on each side of her waist, one hand carefully bracing the back of her neck as he kissed her while his other hand freely explored her luscious body.

His heart raced with nervousness and uncertainty. He had seen Nami naked before, albeit accidentally, but now he could feel every inch of her beneath him; it was an overwhelming amount of skin-of-skin. And even when he looked down, admiring her nakedness, and how perfectly formed every inch of her body looked to him, she didn't get angry or try to crack him over the head. Right now, he was allowed to see and touch all of her. It was almost dizzying.

And she could see him naked, as well; not that he was much to look at. Even if his body was well-toned, he was still just a man with below-average looks, riddled with scars and imperfections. But really, it was not as though he had much time to think about how she was perceiving his body, when he had a woman resemblant of a goddess beneath him.

What was more, that woman was Nami, the woman he had shared countless amazing experiences with. His nakama who he was closer to than anyone else.

At first, they simply laid together, his naked body over hers, kissing deeply and passionately. As he got a little braver, Usopp began to kiss her neck, pressing his lips gently at first. The sounds of her tiny, sexy gasps of pleasure encouraged him to do more, however, and he started to mix in sucking and careful bites, being careful not to leave any lasting marks on her immaculate skin.

By the time he had shifted his attention to her breasts, her back arching and her slender hands clenching into fists as he swirled his tongue around her protruding nipples, Usopp felt his own swell of desire begin to reach an aching point. A desperate _need_ was building in his core. He sat up slightly, placing his hands on her shoulders, and looked down at her face.

She was panting, her cheeks were red and her hair was slightly disheveled. Usopp could not help but smile slightly as he gazed down at her, wondering how it was even possible for her to look this beautiful.

"Oi, Nami," he said softly, not breaking his gaze with her. He wanted to ask her something, but the question was a little too difficult to put into words.

"Usopp, we should..." Nami started, reached forward and entwining her fingers in his thick mop of hair. "We should be even closer than this."

The sniper briefly struggled to string together a reply; it was hard to respond, when he felt like his heart had just jumped into his throat. "Er... Does that mean—does it mean what I think?"

A slight nod, followed by a hint of a radiant smile—and it took a few moments for him to even be able to draw in a normal breath again.

Her hand let go of his hair, and he shivered slightly as lithe fingertips sensually ran down the length of his back until she reached his hip. Then, keeping her palm pressed against his body, she drew her hand toward his front. A moment later, he felt the pressure of her hand gently brushing against his erection, just before tentatively enveloping it.

Usopp cried out in surprise; although the touch was slight, it was so electrifying, he wondered if he just might lose it right there. The hand that wasn't his own, so delicate and feminine, coupled with the desirous gaze that was fixed at _him_ of all people, by a woman so lovely, any man would have been overjoyed to have her.

Usopp could not even speak; all he could muster was a dumbfounded nod, as he reached down with a slightly quivering hand, tracing the line of her hips, then making his way down to her thigh before he tentatively slid his hand upward, in the space between her legs.

He felt her body stiffen slightly, and he stopped moving for a moment, leaning over to kiss her as she let her arms wrap around his neck. He wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure her or himself. His heart was pounding so powerfully, he could not help but wonder if it was possible that he was going to have a cardiac arrest right on top of her.

But though his heart may have skipped a few times, it still continued to function, even as he fumbled with his own dick for a moment, feeling like an idiot for the quaver in his hand as he cautiously leaned in toward her.

A strangled cry escaped his throat as he entered her; it was warm and slick and it made him shudder with anticipation. He was so eager, he could barely contain himself from quickly sliding inside—yet so terrified, he felt like he may not be able to move forward even another millimeter.

But then his eyes met Nami's, and although she was breathing a little harder now, her unwavering gaze gave him the willpower to go forward.

He curved his back so he could lean down nearer to her, carefully angling his pelvis so that he would slide in further and further as he let their foreheads press together.

"If you want me to stop, just tell me-" Usopp started to say, but her lips abruptly cut him off.

She reached up and tightened her arms around him. As the kiss deepened, Usopp let his full length slide inside of her, and he could barely think straight for a moment as an electrifying sensation wracked his core. A string of curses tumbled out of his mouth and to his surprise, Nami laughed slightly, instead of getting annoyed at him for being so foolish.

Then the two of them started to slowly rock back and forth. As the uncertainty began to wear off, they found a steadier rhythm, as they wrapped themselves around each other, desperately trying to be as close as physically possible.

Usopp lowered himself until his mouth was near Nami's ear. "Is this... Is this what you wanted, Nami?" he asked hesitantly, momentarily slowing his pace.

To his relief, the redhead smiled up at him. Although there were a few droplets of sweat on her brow, he did not see a trace of doubt on her face as she nodded in affirmation. Then he brought his lips down to hers, kissing her with renewed fervor as they continued their lovemaking. At this point, there was no more need for words; he could read her like a book, after all.

* * *

The crew returned to the sea the following day. After everyone had finished lunch, Nami and Usopp walked out of the kitchen together, planning on spending at least a small part of the afternoon on the lawn deck of the Sunny, with Nami attending to her mikans while Usopp checked on his rather horrific collection of dangerous plants.

Every now and then, they would happen to look up and catch each other's gaze. When this happened, they would simply smile at each other before returning to their separate tasks—a scenario that had repeated itself countless times before in all the time they had known each other.

Yet today, there was a hint of a secret behind their mutual smiles. Whenever it happened, Nami could not help but notice a tiny swelling of contentment within her chest. Being together with Usopp was always her most comfortable place.


End file.
